The Motor Behavior Lab, located in 131 Fieldhouse, provides a variety of motor performance
testing resources for faculty and students in the Health and Sport Sciences Department
to study motor behavior and motor skill learning. The lab is equipped with a BioPac
MP 35 data acquisition system for recording Electroencephalograms (EEG), Electromyograms
(EMG), force-production, and movement acceleration. In addition it has other psychomotor
test equipment, as well as computers and software. Researchers in this lab study how
people learn and control movement skills such as those used in sports, industrial,
medical, and instructional settings as well as ordinary life situations.

Faculty and students in the lab conduct basic and applied research using an interdisciplinary
approach to explore the movement patterns and the underlying processes related to
skill acquisition and control of movement. The research techniques employed come from
the areas of psychology, physiology and biomechanics. Attention, memory, perception,
feedback, and practice variables that affect the learning and control of motor skills
are examined with a behavioral emphasis. Collaborative research in human performance
are encouraged.

Mission

To provide a research and educational facility and the resources for studying motor
learning, control, and development. To achieve national recognition by using state-of-the-art
instrumentation to investigate behavior and neural processes underlying human motor
skill performance and learning.

Research Project

Applied research – Effects of exercise intervention on motor development of school
children. Effects of balance training on improvement of stability and fall prevention
for the elderly; Balance test and evaluations related to concussion assessment and
management programs.